


From the Silver Screen to the Potent Pen

by Nyxelestia



Category: Original Nonfiction - Fandom
Genre: Good Writing, Meta, Writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:09:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyxelestia/pseuds/Nyxelestia
Summary: This is a compilation of video essays that analyze movies for what writers can learn from them. Obviously, there is a lot of difference between screenplays and books, but there is enough overlap that I found this study worthwhile. Contains categorical collections of video essays on Theme and Story, Showing Over Telling, Character, Plot and Craft, Setting and Worldbuilding, Starting Your Story, and Developing Antagonists.Original Screen to Pen wiki- the original and most likely up to date version of this compilation. Mostly put here on AO3 to give people a quick and efficient way to download their own ebook copy of this list.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Theme and Story

**Author's Note:**

> A marginal addition to my 2020 Birthday Bonanza. AFAIK, if you post multiple chapters at once, AO3 only sends out one collective alert - but if you just got 7 alerts at once right now, my apologies. Future updates will mostly just be rattling off new additions in the later "chapters". I will try to indicate which chapters are the actual compilation.
> 
> **Current number of chapters that are dedicated to the actual compilation: 7** \- the rest are just updates.
> 
> Today, I'm favoring speed over quality, so I'm just using [this](https://markdowntohtml.com/) code converter to turn my Wiki markdown into HTML for AO3. The appearance and layout and format of this work will likely change in the future ~~if~~ when I convert the code manually.
> 
> I am neither well-rested nor sober so besides formatting, if you spot any typos or errors, let me know and hopefully I'll remember whenever I next update this.

#  **_Theme and Story_ **

**How Marvel Created a Phenomenon - Black Panther**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbcBunGhfc8>
> 
> How to have your character reflect your themes - both the competing ideas within a story, but also how their relationships with the protagonist can reflect the protagonist's central/inner conflict.

**What Writers Should Learn From Wonder Woman**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-QhdzQo66o>
> 
> Emotional self-awareness in and of a story. A criticism of the overuse of "bathos" (sudden tone switch for comedy), and not undercutting your story's own drama with it. Doesn't actually talk about Wonder Woman much until the end, mostly talks about Marvel before then. Every scene builds up to an emotion, and that is how you create drama and sincerity without it becoming "cheesy".

**Black Panther Fixes Marvel's Most Common Flaws**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anndNbRjOeE>
> 
> The usage of nuance and rejection of bathos and simplicity to create a story that "moving, meaningful, and masterfully told". The villain is a character who is capable of self-evaluation and change, and who believes they are the hero (and whose backstory is 90% stereotypical hero plot). This creates a challenge for the viewer, which engages them and makes these characters memorable.

**What Writers Should Learn From The Legend Of Korra**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiGQGmnMt0I>
> 
> How the story has the protagonist learn from the antagonist - the Hegelian Dialectic: there's an idea, there's its opposite, and the tension between them transforms the original idea into a better form of itself.

**What Writers Should Learn From The Lord Of The Rings**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrAT0cD4pvA>
> 
> The difference between "plot" and "story", and what this means for writers. tl;dr - The plot is 'the stuff that happens' while the story is 'what that stuff is actually about'. The story is what your plot means. The story and plot will have two different climaxes, and try to keep them together, but distinct.

**Get Out — A New Perspective in Horror**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJLHsXw-LFI>
> 
> How to use a new perspective to retell an old story, and how to use a universal experience to bridge the viewer/reader to the character's more unique experience i.e. The suburban neighborhood is the perpetrator of the horror instead of the victim of it; how horror's typical isolation is established in ways only possible because of the main character's race; and how to use the audience's own preconceptions against them.

**What Writers Should Learn From Batman Begins**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-PfEE5kveE>
> 
> This case study of Batman Begins demonstrates four corner opposition - having two characters represent partial disagreements with the protagonist, along with a third one to represent total opposition, disagreement, or "mirror" of the protagonist. This conflict between the characters' values explore the fundamental question, theme, and moral of your story.

**Independence Day vs. War of the Worlds**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KioF1sTQFtE>
> 
> Comparison of two similar stories. It starts by showing how despite the contextual similarities, they are very different movies because of the cultural backdrop (tl;dr 9/11). The second half of the video also digs into the character arcs, and why the cheesy "dumb as rocks" movie's plot and character developments felt so satisfying, while the "serious drama" movie's did not. tl;dr Independence Day completes every character arc it starts, while War of the Worlds did not.

**Batman v Superman v Captain America: Civil War - Why One Worked and One Didn’t**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdZBivkweT8>
> 
> It is exactly what it says on the tin - it compares two similar stories to demonstrate why one is applauded while the other is widely panned. In essence, DC was impatient and trying to accomplish too much at once, cramming too many objectives into one movie, whereas Marvel let their movie focus on the single, core story, which presents choices to the heroes that show the audience what they value. Its climaxes were built up to well ahead of time, without the drama undercutting itself. It sounds specific to context, but it provides a lot of lessons useful across genres.

**Jurassic Park — Using Theme to Craft Character**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWz1E3oHd8w>
> 
> Theme is fundamentally the exploration of an idea - whether or not you arrive at an easy "answer". When Jurassic Park had a question with two sides, this led to two characters embodying the two viewpoints. The plot forced both those characters into situations that challenged their perspectives. This an excellent case study for how your story's theme can be used to develop your characters and plot.

**Writing Characters Without Character Arcs**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot02hMJ6Hkk>
> 
> Most stories tend to be about a character changing, whereas "flat arc" stories are about the character changing the world around them. These stories reassure audiences that we can change the world around us, without losing what we believe in. That said, while the main character might not change (or change as much) in flat arc stories, there is still tremendous change in the story - in the supporting characters and in the world around them. If character-arc stories about characters breaking away from the lie they believe about themselves, then flat arc stories are ones where the main character already know the truth about themselves or the world - it's _everyone else_ in the world who believes in this lie, and must learn to break away from it.

* * *


	2. Showing Over Telling

#  **_Showing Over Telling_ **

**What Writers Should Learn From Mad Max: Fury Road**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u6DwJOs604>
> 
> Dissects visual story-telling in Fury Road, and gives a lot of advice in how to use action and non-verbal narrative to show the story. Really good for anyone struggling with "show, don't tell". tl;dr - To paraphrase: "This series is not conversations interrupted by action, but action that operates as conversation/argument."

**Rogue One vs. The Force Awakens — The Fault in Our Star Wars**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsIQa7sH5_Y>
> 
> Analyzing two recent Star Wars movies (Rogue One vs The Force Awakens) to learn about great protagonists and getting viewers/readers invested in their story: showing vs. telling, active protagonists, and meaningful consequences.

**Independence Day — What Makes it So Great**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gu8GQOJhdA>
> 
> A general video about what makes Independence Day so compelling and memorable. In particular, I think writers can learn a lot about connecting characters and action, how to introduce characters (in ways that pay off in their plot), and how to use empathy and consequence ("be mean to your characters") to convey the stakes of the plot.

**Wall-e : How to Tell a Story Visually - Pixar Video Essay**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQA8S59HAnk>
> 
> Case study of a movie where the main characters are unable to speak, which forces the movie to show almost everything. The things these characters do for their "daily life" or when they (think they) are alone, what they pay attention to/care about, and the choices they make, all demonstrate who they are to the reader - without ever saying a word.

**Planting and Payoff - Featuring Mad Max: Fury Road**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLLGN7zv-3k>
> 
> The success of a narrative payoff is contingent on how well it was planted before then. The quality of the planting process is as important as the fact that it is planted at all. This video is put here in "showing vs telling" though, as it also digs deep into exactly that - how readers are informed about this almost alien world and society, without any real exposition on it. This video is about how Mad Max: Fury Road _shows_ us its story instead of _telling_ us.

**Former CIA Operative Explains How Spies Use Disguises | WIRED**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8>
> 
> This video is not about writing nor even about stories or fiction, but about visual personality, and the way one presents themself to the world around. How does your character eat? Smoke? Walk? Dress? What does it say about them - and more importantly, what does your reader learn about your character from that? By breaking down how the CIA would disguise assets, this video neatly shows us how much _perception_ factors into how people view you - or rather, your characters.

**Former FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language | Tradecraft | WIRED**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jwUXV4QaTw>
> 
> An analysis of "non-verbals", known in layman's terms as body language. The agent explains how we are always transmitting some kind of information through our bodies, whether we want to or not - and goes into how many other factors affect body language, ranging from individuals' preferences (i.e. how much personal space we value, our default self-soothing non-verbals) to things like environment, cultural background, and context. It's a good introductory video to get a grip on body language and what different, small, gestures or non-verbals say about a person - and thus, what you can _show_ about your characters.

**The Unrealized Potential Of Ready Player One**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjPxyIirTNc>
> 
> This criticism is primarily about how the movie undermines its own intended theme, and how most of the supposed character growth is shallow for either being incomplete, or reflecting very little change compared to the characters' beginnings. In the process, this video also discusses how the movie already changed its path from the book it's adapted from, and what additional or different changes it could've taken so that the story actually supported its intended theme. If your story currently relies on your characters _telling_ the audience their growth or lesson, this video is for you.

**One Marvelous Scene - I Am Iron Man** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnlHtBKQZ1k>
> 
> A great breakdown on the symbolism in Iron Man 3, and specifically how the Iron Man _armor_ reflects the Iron Man _story_. The damage to the armor reflects the mental scars Tony Stark bears, which isn't an uncommon narrative device. Uniquely, it also shows Tony's how treatment of the armor reflects Tony's views of himself - as does Tony's interaction with the unwitting child who stumbles across them.

##  **Action and Combat Scenes**

**Black Panther's Director Ryan Coogler Breaks Down a Fight Scene** _(Moved!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNHc2PxY8lY>
> 
> A breakdown on both the symbolism in a notable fight scene in Black Panther, as well as how the characters developments and backgrounds were reflected in their action (i.e. the traditionalist fighting with the Wakandan spear vs the innovator grabbing any weapon nearby).

**Casino Royale — How Action Reveals Character** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GdBnwXLJdI>
> 
> An action sequence operates as almost a three-act structure in miniature - inciting incidents that put the protagonist in the position of starting the action, raising the stakes and movement of the action, an emotive or mini-narrative climax of the action, and the action winding down to some kind of resolution (except that this resolution also segues into the next part of the story). The most important element is when the protagonist is forced to make _choices_ in the midst of the action, no matter how big or small. The decisions (or rather, types of decisions) that get put before the protagonist in the first place develop the world and the stakes of the story; the choices that the protagonist actually _makes_ develop their character.

**On Writing: Fight Scenes! [ Sanderson | GoT | The Shining | Dragon Tattoo ]** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKkKNKUK_GE>
> 
> A video that focuses on the "micro"-level of writing fight scenes, things like sentence structure, word usage, etc. Regardless of verb pattern or sentence length, action beats need to follow some element of cause and effect. When a fight scene has many shifts in the balance of power, details should be worked into the spaces between these changes. Authors should give readers tools to imagine the fight scene, but not try to verbalize it all _for_ the reader. In order to orient the reader, you want to set up the setting - and the things in it - _before_ the fight. When trying to give a fight scene more gravity, focusing on bodily experience lends itself to the narrative sensation of consequence. The novel medium lets us get into the heads of the combatants as almost no other medium does. Internal narration is a great context to explore the reasoning for the fight. In a fight, the artifices of civilized conversation tends to get stripped away, leaving just the emotional beats.

**On Writing: How to Master Fight Scenes! [ Avatar | Lord of the Rings | Star Wars ] ft. Shadiversity** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSafcUuHFnk>
> 
> A follow-up to the previous video. If the previous video is about micro-aspects of writing, this is the macro-aspect. It has several points, but the gist of it is that you keep fight scenes engaging by changing the balance of power ("who's winning and who's losing" at any given moment), by incorporating your theme and character into it as an action scene, and by making it multi-dimensional (such as giving characters problems they need to solve). Your readers need to understand the stakes and limitations of your world ahead of time, before you can use weapons, tools, or magic for a pay-off in a fight scene. (This video has a lot more ad-breaks than usual, and is mostly done by the 14:30 mark - after that, it goes into a lot of detail about sword-fighting as a lens into realistic combat, then ends with the summary.)

**The Problem With The Wakanda Battle - Avengers: Infinity War** _(Moved!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jKQUDtppM0>
> 
> It's more of a comparison of the siege battles from Avengers: Infinity War and Lord of the Rings: Two Towers - and why the latter works when the former did not. Mostly, Infinity War undermined its siege because the battle lacked tension or stakes, and often tried to _tell_ its audience things instead of showing them.

**Avengers Endgame - How To Waste A Climax** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8VU2GwkBtY>
> 
> "Sequel" to the previous video essay, this one comparing Endgame to Helm's Deep. While the MCU has many strengths, grand battle scenes seem to be their weakness. Tension arrives not from stretching out the predetermined status quo, but from dynamic movement back and forth between dread and triumph, between the heroes' victory seeming inevitable vs the heroes' victory seeming impossible. Much like in the story at large, twists and sudden turns in a battle need to have some element of set-up or foreshadowing. Most interestingly, after the first two thirds were identifying various problems with the final battle, the last third hypothesizes different versions of the final battle that could account for or correct those problems. I don't agree with all of it, but enough of this video has good points that I'm including it anyway. (Fair warning: for some reason, minutes 12-15 is a 3-minute sponsorship ad in the middle of the video.)

##  **Weight of Cinema's Case Study: Lord of the Rings**

Very fanboyish, fair warning - I'd say something like half the script/'essay' is just gushing adjectives. But narratively, it had some good points for writers to learn from.

**How THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING Defines Fellowship**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Dx-12_kvQ>
> 
> Fellowship is "...the initial commitment made, the resistance against that commitment, and the eventual overcoming of that resistance in favor of commitment..." - summarized as, "establish, question, then reinforce". Instead of relying on an untold personal history or shared past to establish a bond, the first Lord of the Rings movie used this method to build up the famous, life-changing bond between these characters just meeting each other for the first time.

**How THE TWO TOWERS Cultivates Compelling Conflict**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUB6wXURR-I>
> 
> The film has three subplots that make up the main plot, and uses framing and sequences to bounce and build the tension in those separate threads off of each other. While the three stories progress independently of each other, they also move forward in tandem, and come to a head together. So much of a character is not just in choice they make, but how they react to things, and this can be applied on a broad scale. It also grows the world of your story, as we see all the narrative threads weave together.

**How THE RETURN OF THE KING Brings Us Home**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhvQ8Ek9dPI>
> 
> This video is excessively complimentary, and sometimes feels like the narrator is just seeing how many positive adjectives he can cram into the video. In essence, it rewards its participants. It raised questions and made you genuinely wonder if the characters would survive, before it gave you the answer. Despite this, the conclusion is not a universal resolution - Frodo is still suffering from the results of his journey, and the Fellowship has dissolved. (To be further honest, you can start at 3:00 and not really miss anything, the first three minutes are literally just effusive praise for the movie.)

##  **"What Not To Do" Case Study: The Last Airbender**

**The Last Airbender Review Part 1: The Writing**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_jsEHzZlRQ>
> 
> A criticism of the worst movie in history that also encompasses many common beginners' struggles and amateur mistakes - and more importantly, it both suggests how the movie could fix or improve those mistakes, compares these foibles to how other movies have done better, and demonstrates how the source material masterfully did the same things. It's particularly focused on exposition (how information is delivered, what information is delivered, etc.), though it also covers the inconsistent characterization.

**The Last Airbender Review Part 2: The Directing**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PzpLTKt9LU>
> 
> While much more cinematographically focused than the writing review above, much of what this video discusses is still relevant to writers - namely the way storytellers can show story through action, and character through motion. What does the characters' mannerisms show about them? How does their interaction with each other reflect the story? It discusses storytelling efficiency in general - communicating as much information as possible, in as little _space_ as possible.

* * *


	3. Character

#  **_Character_ **

**Hayao Miyazaki - The Essence of Humanity**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52raDbtNpa4>
> 
> How Miyazaki used empathy and realism to build such well-rounded, beloved, and memorable characters. Regardless of culture, the characters' goals are obvious and universal - though what they _want_ and what they _need_ are two distinct things. Commonality: the characters are not just paragons for audiences to aspire to be, but flawed individuals who audiences aspire _with_ to be better versions of themselves. The protagonist growing > the protagonist winning.

**Spider-Man: Homecoming vs. Spider-Man 2 - Passivity and Choice**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOYfG9Oluwo>
> 
> Analyzing two Spider-Man movies to show why one interpretation is more engaging and memorable than the other. Homecoming's Peter drives the conflict - most of plot events happen because of choices Peter made, and the bulk of the story is about him dealing with the fallout of his own choices. SM2's Peter mostly just finds himself in the middle of plot events he had no previous part in. Homecoming's Peter happens to the plot; SM2's plot happens to Peter.

**Infinity War vs The Last Jedi: How to (and not to) set up a Finale**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqHvUcBxcbI>
> 
> Despite the title, this video isn't really about plotting and arcs about finales, but character goals and motivations. This takes two "second to last act/penultimate" movies and compare how they build on top of the existing story (previous movies in the franchise) - and how one clearly demonstrates the characters' goals and motivations, while the other does not, instead using the characters' actions to move the plot along without showing _why_ these characters took those actions in the first place.

**Westworld And The Trouble With Ensembles**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxjKnMFv8dw>
> 
> A macro-level plot is between enemies, while a micro-level plot is between allies. In a story with multiple main characters, macro-level plots can drive the story, but characters need to be driven by the micro-level plots, and these need to be the source of the characters' inspirations. Ensembles can grow exponentially, because keeping macro-level plots separate usually means keep the different protagonists separate from each other - requiring multiple sets of secondary characters to engage the primary characters.

##  **Empathizing With Characters**

**Avatar: The Last Airbender — How To Write A Compelling Backstory**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOJmhq-ve2Y>
> 
> Exactly what it says on the tin, how to write a great, compelling backstory for your characters. tl;dr - A trauma that the protagonist blames themself for - due to a flaw, counter-desire, or "ghost" which they must overcome in the story.

**What Writers Should Learn From Game of Thrones**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rhMu6FFJPw>
> 
> How to use empathy, loss, and relativity to get your readers to care about your characters. tl;dr - Give your characters a permanent disadvantage to overcome, have them lose something they value, or play them off other characters.

**Telling a Story from the Inside Out**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulm7bcB2xvY>
> 
> General advice for establishing a good story, but also a lot of good stuff about developing a good character (and character flaws). tl;dr - If your character has an annoying trait/personality, have it be their 'solution' to an underlying vulnerability, to make the audience still root for them and relate to them. The character starts out with a want, but their journey is the process of them getting with what they need.

**How To Make The Audience Cry** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4ObTpA_Vkw>
> 
> I don't entirely agree with this video essayist, because it seems focused on what makes _him_ cry; nor can I agree with his understanding of sympathy vs empathy. But, he does do a good job of comparing those three movies that made him cry. Despite the fact they are from widely different genres - children's animation, science fiction, and prison drama - he does distill their shared traits to a combination injustice and contrast. Most important is how much grief is conveyed _by the characters' grief_. The tears start rolling when audiences both experience what causes the sadness, as well as co-experience the sadness or grief _with_ the characters.

##  **Character Development**

**Wonder Woman: Earning Your Moment**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BixIf_hBn-c>
> 
> The "heroic moment" is the moment in which the protagonist grapples with an internal struggle, and makes a choice which they could not have made before, and which goes on to define who they are from thereon after. What separates a hero from everyone is often them taking action no one else can take, but the most powerful hero moments are ones which inspire or affect the characters around them, creating a sense of involvement.

**The Last Jedi and the 7 Basic Questions of Narrative Drama**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE7SkcoyVAI>
> 
> A character arc has seven parts, components, or questions: What does the character want? What do they need? What is their internal conflict? What is their conflict with the world? What is their conflict with other characters? How do they change? And how does this change impact the world around them?

**The Last Jedi — Forcing Change**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYN2Lp9oHMk>
> 
> A case study of Finn and Kylo Ren's character arcs in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. At their core, a character's ending is defined by contrast against where they began, and their conflicts drive and demonstrate their transition. Finn's starting point was not in the final cut of the movie, and his transition is largely "told" to us through dialogue exchanges. Kylo Ren starts with a clearly established internal conflict, his interactions with multiple other characters show that conflict.

**Good Will Hunting**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgLSgFDMF1k>
> 
> Positive change arc is the process of a character starting out with a weakness - that is rooted in a past trauma, and often a defense mechanism. This "wound" is a lie about themselves that the characters believes - but the audience, and other characters, do not. The arc is the character learning this lie is false. The struggles slowly chip away at those flaws - though sometimes briefly strengthen them right before they finally come down for good in catharsis. Because the audience has gone through the emotional journey so far, they experience the catharsis with the character.

**On Writing: Redemption Arcs!** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB_3LF7uoNc>
> 
> Character is challenged and revealed through decisions. Think of your character's views of themself, views of their world, and the stakes of their circumstances or choices. Think of these three components that make up your character at the story of their story...and at the end, their "redeemed state". The redemption arc is the gradual process of the transition from the former trifecta, to the latter one. This transition happens as the character is faced with choices that put these two in conflict, and increasingly make choices that align with their "redeemed state trifecta" rather than their "villainous state trifecta". They will often make the wrong decisions along the way, just make sure their choices build up to the ultimate "decision that they could never have made before" at the culmination of their story.

**Iron Man vs. Captain America — The 11-Year Character Arc** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p_H2FxuOWs>
> 
> A comparison of two opposite character arcs within the same story - one character's journey from self-interest to selflessness, and the other character's journey from selflessness to self-interest. Treating the 23-movie Infinity Saga as a single, gigantic story, this video examines Tony Stark and Steve Rogers' character arcs. This is also a good video for anyone balancing multiple protagonists, as it shows how these two character arcs interact with and propel each other forward.

##  **Character Introduction**

_Moved to category "Starting Your Story"._

##  **Development of Antagonists**

_Moved to category "Development of Antagonists"._

##  **Weight of Cinema's Case Study: Avatar**

**Avatar: the Last Airbender - The Delicacy of Character (1/4)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_UQ5RI38Qc>
> 
> On how the series crafted each character, and showed us their stories, using Sokka as a case study. tl;dr - The three most important components to a character are Personality, Motivation, and Development - and all of there were introduced in not just Sokka's first line, but the first line of dialogue spoken in the entire show.

**Avatar: The Last Airbender - Visual Storytelling (2/4)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Bgv_ChCd0>
> 
> While in theory it's about visual story-telling, in practice it's about symbolism and how Zuko's story is told via (visual) symbols. tl;dr - Zuko's scar represents his inner conflict on many levels, and the mask represents his real persona (much like how 'Batman' is the real persona while 'Bruce Wayne' is the mask).

**Avatar: The Last Airbender - Development Through Relationship (3/4)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcYIiCf108Y>
> 
> How the characters' developments are shown through relationships. There's a reason almost every character is introduced in the company of another character - and the character who isn't, Toph, has a story that starts from a point of isolationism, and her growth is in forming relationships with her friends to develop. tl;dr - "As her relationships grow, she grows.

**Avatar: The Last Airbender - Character Through Morality (4/4)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RsoseMEW-Q>
> 
> This essay explores how moral challenges and confrontations both develop the theme of a given story, as well as develops the characters. In Avatar, the characters grapple with the struggle of what it means to deem someone beyond redemption (worthy of execution). We see them struggle with their moral grounds - and ultimately stick to them, valuing every human life no matter what. This shows the characters' hope that _anyone_ can be given a second chance, and shows the story's theme that no one is beyond redemption.

* * *


	4. Plot and Craft

#  **_Plot and Craft_ **

**Harry Potter: How J.K. Rowling Writes Mystery**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Y0NFHNhgg>
> 
> A really great video on how to write mystery, even if mystery isn't necessarily the "point" of your story or it's not a mystery story. tl;dr - Use your description to misdirect from the clues, but make sure all the clues are there for readers to put together beforehand - or to find again upon reread.

**Fantastic Beasts: How J.K. Rowling Writes Mystery Revisited**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mocMtHZCZKY>
> 
> Companion/follow-up to previous video, wherein the speaker compares Fantastic Beasts vs the original Harry Potter series to show how Fantastic Beasts _fails_ to be work as a good mystery. Namely, it does not successfully bury its clues or obfuscate its queues. Mystery is not as big a part of this franchise as in the original, but that in turn contributes to the disparate storylines and conflicting genres of the new movies.

**Game of Thrones — How to Evoke Emotion**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgZXDeGjf84>
> 
> Also exactly what it says on the tin. How to "toy with the audience's expectations" to create value transitions that evoke emotion.

**On Writing: final battles - Avatar l Lord of the Rings l Star Wars l Pirates)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdBImRy-ido>
> 
> Probably the most most relevant to the most of us. A good way to structure "final battles", from the plot to how to incorporate your character development into the plot via the final conflict, and the importance of self-revelation resolving the final conflict.

**Isaac Asimov, Game of Thrones: How to Write Sociological Stories**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCsCq4Qo9P4>
> 
> This video mostly focuses on Isaac Asimov's _Foundation_ series, but it does compare _Foundation_ with _Game of Thrones_ to show what a sociological story is, and demonstrate how a sociological story differs from a psychological story. A huge part of Game of Thrones' appeal is that it blends the two types - audiences get invested in the individual characters, but the series can kill off or otherwise move on without some of those characters because the story is not just about the people, but the system that those people are in. (The reason why Foundation is so difficult to adapt is because it so antithetical to individual influences upon a greater world.)

**A Quiet Place (feat. Oscar-nominated sound team)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-s81-Wl2v0>
> 
> This might seem like a counterproductive or useless video for _authors_ \- after all, books have no sound. However, despite the very technically oriented start of the video, much of it ends up focusing on the usage of senses - or rather, one sense in particular - and how that sense helps the audience relate to characters and experience the world from their perspective. This would be especially helpful for those who switch between multiple POVs or use omniscient POV in their writing.

**Mission: Impossible — Executing the Perfect Heist** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzw7AOi_sM>
> 
> Almost any story good story can theoretically be summarized as, "the protagonist wants something, and has to overcome a barrier to get it", whether that's as simple as getting a glass of water, or as complex as saving the world. What makes heist films so compelling is that all these core components of a story are highlighted - as opposed to most genres, where the goal and obstacle can take a while to tease out. In addition, enumerating the goals and obstacles - as well as the explicit creation of an ideal but minimal group (team) full of people with unique, complementary strengths - are baked into the story structure. Mission Impossible films, in particular, create compelling tension in two ways: the tension between the characters of the team, and from the execution of the heist itself. Plan where things go wrong, and heroes have to improvise their way out, are generally more compelling than a story where the plan goes perfectly.

**Passengers, Rearranged** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gksxu-yeWcU>
> 
> An interrogation of the role that perspective/point of view plays in a story, and how the disparities between "what the audience knows" and "what the characters know" can create tension, and create different types of tension...or, it can rob a story of its tension. In examining how a different perspective changes a movie, this video demonstrates how even _just_ rearranging the story - not rewriting it, merely taking the existing scenes and putting them in a new order - drastically changes the story, turning it into a completely different genre. It's an interesting examination of how seemingly minor but fundamental changes can alter a story for the better.

**One Marvelous Scene - Spider-Man: Homecoming** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSW9JcQnik>
> 
> How to create tension in your story, via an excellent breakdown of the now famous car ride scene from Spider-Man. It explains how to scale conflict, obstacles, and goals to each other - and shows how this 'high school comedy' film packs in just as much tension and engagement as the grander superhero battles against alien invasions and robot armies. It also breaks down _how_ that tension was created, which can also be helpful for anyone struggling with creating that. This scene uses differing levels of information among the characters to create layers of text and subtext that are in conflict with each other - thus generation the amazing tension.

##  **Writing Craft and Plot Tools**

**Food in Film | How Cooking Makes us Human**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uK9cx3M9_w>
> 
> Cooking is arguably the one thing which differentiates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. It is a civilizing force (and absence of it can be used as a symbol of dehumanization). Food norms can go a long way to establishing culture (and breaking those norms can be another tool to convey conflict). Eating meals together is also an arena of social interaction, and food is a tremendously versatile symbol in story-telling, worldbuilding, and character establishment.

**On Writing: the chosen one - Avatar l Supernatural l Harry Potter l The Hunger Games**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VPX5AafADM>
> 
> How to write a "chosen one" narrative (story that depends on a single protagonist to resolve the central conflict). It talks about secondary characters, destiny quests, and interweaving character development and narrative structure. tl;dr - Only use it if it's necessary, and the destiny should underly the story, not support or overtake it.

**On Writing: how to foreshadow [Stranger Things l LotR l Harry Potter l Game of Thrones]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwpcdm87irA>
> 
> This video gives several tactics for how to effectively foreshadow in your book. The best ways to do so are to introduce an object, symbol, or character in a position of contrast, or to use those to mirror something that will happen later on in the story. Foreshadowing is a great way to create intrigue for a reader, to tie together seemingly disparate story elements or changes in tone, and creates satisfying pay-offs that can 'reward' a reader for staying with the story.

**How MacGuffins Can Ruin Movies**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cih9kj6ZPdg>
> 
> How to use MacGuffins in your story, and 5 tactics to avoid letting a MacGuffin ruin your story. tl;dr - "The MacGuffin is the object the characters care about, but the audience don't." Keep its role in the story limited and downplayed.

**The Three Problems with Writing Prequels l Crimes of Grindelwald and Star Wars**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMaZcCEm2Gs>
> 
> Sometimes, the power of a story involves something remaining ambiguous or mythological - so prequels can undercut that by specifying or clarifying something that was better left mysterious. Prequels _depending_ on an established story leaves them unable to stand on their own - and retroactively alters the audience's experience of the original story. This video also picks apart the overstatement of the criticism about loss of narrative tension in prequels - and how knowing the overall ending does not automatically rob a story of tension...but _relying_ on it sure does.

**Parasite — The Power of Symbols** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he3x5flTFPg>
> 
> A great analysis of this film's use of symbolism to express its theme - which is why the story resonated so strongly even among audiences that did not speak the language of the film. When a symbol is created, reiterated, and modified, it becomes a motif. A collection of motifs in a story are the lens by which readers or audiences can understand the theme of the story.

##  **Plot Structure**

**Death Note: How To Write Binge-Worthy Television**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOIQbHx2Xc>
> 
> Talking about story beats and "the fundamentals of pacing, and how the writers of the show keep our eyes glued to the screen." tl;dr - Every scene or story beat should change something.

**The Avengers — Defining an Act**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j56WPBaiPYQ>
> 
> Using the Avengers to showcase and talk about story structure. In particular, this one shows how different "act structures" can be applied to the same movie/how different act structures are manifested in the movie.

**Hidden Figures — The Power of Subplots**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLXwzj59mnM>
> 
> How to use subplots with the main plot of the story, to support and enhance that story. tl;dr - The subplots should resonate the same theme as the central plot/story. While distilled/shortened, the plots of the subplots still have the same fundamental components as the main story.

**The Social Network — Sorkin, Structure, and Collaboration**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IAGH6k17nw>
> 
> Usage of dialogue and misunderstanding to develop character and plot (without the dialogue just being narration/expo dump), and how to use non-linear storytelling to build the drama and reframe the story (i.e. instead of "what will happen" it asks "how will it happen").

**How Three-Act Screenplays Work (and why it matters)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0QO7YuKKdI>
> 
> A rundown on the three-act structure, but embedded in a broader and more important message about how story structure is useful for understanding why already-existing stories do or don't work, but NOT for trying to create a new story going forward. That said, understanding why stories do or don't work is important and helpful. While the details are three-act specific, the two main take-aways are helpful regardless of what structure you are using. First, that a story is constructed of several smaller arcs of tension (and the releases of those tension). Second, that the character and plot developments work best when they drive each other, but without overtaking each other.

**The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Breaking Convention**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYMhaILOs-I>
> 
> This digs into what needs to be inside of an act of a story (regardless of whether you're using 3-act, 5-act, or something else altogether). While this particular video is about _acts_ and a little heavier on screenplay writing than normal, these are also good things to keep in mind when authors struggle to write individual scenes or arcs of a story. Every act or arc - or for authors, potentially every scene - needs to have a protagonist, an antagonist, an inciting incident, a journey, a crisis, and a climax (and sometimes, a resolution). A scene or arc or act's antagonist does not need to be the protagonist, just someone who is an obstacle of some kind for the protagonist.

##  **Sagging Middle and Pacing**

**On Writing: How to Master Pacing!**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkM1KengtYA>
> 
> Got a sagging middle? This is a fairly broad video that delves into pacing both at the scene level (i.e. how to use sentence structure or word-choice to create a fast-paced or slow-paced scene), as well as pacing at the story level (making sure plot obstacles do not halt the narrative development). The video shows how to differentiate a supportive subplot from a "sidequest" (subplot that detracts more from the story than adds to it), and how to use subtext to enrich the pacing or tension of the story. Most importantly, though, there is no one, set pacing structure that's universally applicable to all audiences. Different people get into different stories for different reasons, and as an author, you have to understand what your audience will seek and what that means for your story.

**Collateral — The Midpoint Collision** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0QMxzEVuDI>
> 
> If a story is the process of the protagonist growing, then a good villain is one uniquely suited to challenge them on their core flaws, and force the protagonist to grow in the right direction. Many stories start with a protagonist believing a lie about themselves or buying into a facade; the story is the process of their true self coming to the forefront, and overtaking this facade. However, this point where the protagonist's true self overtakes their facade is not at the end of the story, but in the middle. The story building up to this point is asking the audience, " _can_ the protagonist embrace their true self?". The midpoint is answering, showing that they can...with the rest of the story being " _will_ they?" or "will they be able to _master_ their true self?".

**The Rise Of Skywalker Is The Most Frustrating JJ Abrams Film** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD5mLw0A8vI>
> 
> This is another video for anyone who feels like their middle is sagging, or feels unsatisfied with the resolution of the story. How do you treat your major emotional beats? How do the new revelations in your story support (or undermine) previous themes? How do your characters grow in relation to both each other and in relation to themselves? How often do they get to make important, character-revealing decisions? Despite the pessimistic title, it is moreso an analysis of Abram's strengths and weaknesses as a film maker, rather than simply harping on Rise of Skywalker.

##  **Intertextuality and Adaptation**

_Video essays on creating something new from something familiar._

**Intertextuality in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJrv_pSHbHs>
> 
> Goes over how to straddle episodic story-telling with long-form narrative, and how to make a long, on-going story more approachable for new viewers. tl;dr - The introduction catches up on the series-wide story, the first scene uses layers of story-telling to establish the context for this episode a new viewer needs, while still providing 'pay-off' for long-time viewers.

**Stranger Things And Intertextuality**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTpsw-ufDA>
> 
> How to use context or pre-existing culture without letting them overtake your story, and how to create something unique while in the context or shadow of other stories. tl;dr - Use your references to frame your characters, theme, and story - but don't let your references to shape them. And if you are writing parody/pastiche, use references and tropes to misdirect or present a mystery/question to your audience.

**When Harry Met Sally — Breaking Genre Conventions**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2pLUHBgGM>
> 
> How a writer can take something familiar and give it a unique spin, and how comparison of characters reveals their deeper natures. It examines how When Harry Met Sally subverts the viewers' expectations and turns genre conventions on their heads. It also examines how character comparisons worked in the movie - how the characters compare to their past selves, and to each other.

**Treasure Planet - Disney's Biggest Mistake**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9sycdSkngA>
> 
> First half of that video is a great description of Treasure Planet's greatest strengths, in terms of establishing the character, how to adapt an old story for new sensibilities and improve it, and how an adventure film packs such an emotional punch. (The second half - from ~18 min onward - is not relevant for writers, though still interesting.)

**In Praise of Hook, A Flawed Classic**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nuciEBXiMk>
> 
> This video contrasts a live-action remake of a Disney animated classcs from 1991, with the very recent trend of live-action remakes of Disney animated classics. In particular, the 1991 live-action remake of Peter Pan "told this old tale anew", and how Hook balanced capturing the nostalgia of the original story...with still telling a new story, and imparting a new lesson upon its audience.

**Aliens vs. Terminator 2 — How to Sequel like James Cameron** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x9mplwN3Lo>
> 
> When so many sequel movies are found lackluster compared to the original, this video essay compares two successful sequels. If any given story is a function of its premise ("what the story is about") and its designing principle ("how the story is conveyed"), then a successful sequel is one which maintains the original story's premise, but applies a completely new designing principle. This helps story creators walk the line between meeting expectations set up by the previous story, and subverting those expectations. Another way to meet this equilibrium between "new" and "familiar" is to have the characters have the same desire or external goal as the original story...but give them a different _need_ from the one they had in the original story. This way, the characters remain someone that the audience already know, but also is someone the audience can follow as they grow.

##  **Twists and Subversions**

**Foreshadowing Is Not Character Development**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mlNyqhnc1M>
> 
> Foreshadowing can be a fantastic component of your character development, but it cannot _be_ the character development. This video picks apart Game of Thrones, and compares some characters while focusing on one in particular. Most of Game of Thrones' character arcs, however devastating they may be, are the results of the characters' choices. It does this to show how the most (in)famous character arc _failed_ to do this, and thus led to widespread disdain.

**How To Write Plot Twists (Spoilers)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmlwZlyhf8I>
> 
> (Lots of spoilers!) Video about how to write good plot twists. Discussion of "anagnorisis" ("a revelation"). tl;dr - Reveal that what you thought are two things, are actually one - especially after making sure to previously establish these two things as different and distinct.

**What Game Of Thrones Kinda Forgot**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=habt4hbvJHg>
> 
> Yeah, yeah, another video about how the ending sucked. But, I include this one because of its analyses of the difference between "subversion" and "surprise", and questioning the relationship between them and the narrative themes of the story. It demonstrates how attempts at subversion are meaningless on their own, and still need to serve a narrative purpose - and if they don't, then all you are doing is really _tricking_ your audience when you "shock" them, and end with a very different story than what you had been telling all along. I recommend this video because it will help you interrogate any plot twists you might intend or want.

**The Best of Thrones - The Red Wedding and How to Subvert Expectations**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZKThwHWGVg>
> 
> After all the GoT shaming, I thought we could come back to what it did well. The previous video is about whether or not to have a twist or subversion in the first place; if you've decided to do it anyway, this video covers how to do it well. Plot twists done well have two elements. First is understanding that while a twist is the breaking of one set of literary logic (readers' initial expectations), it still needs to line up with some other internal logic within the narrative. Related to that is the second element, the sense of cause and effect - the twist should be the unintended yet retrospectively obvious effect of a prior cause, event, or choice in the narrative. You need to reinforce both the assumed logic (the reader's expectations) _and_ the internal logic that leads to the plot twist. "The best twists are not the ones we didn't so coming, but the ones we _should_ have seen coming."

**How To Do A Plot Twist - Knives Out** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRhW6RgSm3E>
> 
> A very interesting comparison of how the same storyteller failed at one subversion...but then learned from it and delivered a great subversion in this next work. Rian Johnson learned from his failures in The Last Jedi to produce a much stronger story - and story subversion - in Knives Out. The first nine minutes are basically verbal keysmashing praise and product placement/advertising, so I say you can skip those and just start at the nine minute mark. The rest of the video digs into building up to plot twists, how to foreshadow, internal character/story consistency, and keeping your narrative promises as a storyteller.

##  **Why the Hobbit Sucks Case Study**

These videos, in ranting about the movies, mostly act as "what not to do". That said, they're also pretty specific critiques - which means they also demonstrate what _to_ do. Below, my summaries are "what to do" (as the opposite of what the video shows you _not_ to do).

**Why The Hobbit Sucks Part One: The Dwarves**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TijkFnT8D-U>
> 
> "Never put a gun on stage in the first act, if it won't go off in the third." This principle applies not just to objects or plot devices, but also relationships, character arcs, and even just jokes or gags. It also works in reverse - if you need a gun to go off in the third act, make sure to put it on stage in the first act. If you want to have a certain character or relationship arc, make sure to set up that arc ahead of time, and and build towards that pay-off.

**Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Two: Tensionless Action**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFq3VGVA8_Y>
> 
> Action tends to be most memorable when you see some change to the character or story, or when they have stakes and make you wonder what will happen next. Tension is created when there are immediate stakes in the action, and when those stakes are threatened - with a threat severe enough, and a context clear enough, that you aren't sure whether your characters will make it out of this scene unscathed.

**Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Three: Unresolved Plotlines**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_RZhZAUA5c>
> 
> The other side of the first video - if you introduce a plotline, don't leave it hanging. If you have a story with so any plots and subplots that you are losing track of them? That's a sign that maybe you should cut down on plot or subplots. Having several subplots means they can end up completing or resolving each other...but if they don't, then that's a lot more threads you have to individually wrap up.

**Why The Hobbit Sucks Part Four: Bad Romance**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6crXp4R6mI>
> 
> Every relationship (romantic or otherwise) should either convey something about the theme to the reader, or develop the characters in that relationship in some way. Conversely, a relationship cannot be built on expectations of it from the reader; a relationship involves some element of change to the characters involved in it, learning something about themselves through the other one.

* * *


	5. Setting and Worldbuilding

#  **_Setting and Worldbuilding_ **

**The Immersive Realism of Studio Ghibli**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Q6y4-qKac>
> 
> Very animation oriented, but it delves into the usage of detail for vibrant and immersive setting. It focuses on the usage of movement to make the world feel real.

**SPIDER-VERSE: What Makes Animation Feel Human?** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Meb9TAYsU>
> 
> An animation video might seem useless to authors, but the bulk of the video's argument is quite relevant to writing: scene-setting and character-establishment. Part relevant to writers is 5:10 to 13:45, and talks a lot about how immersive attention to detail in the setting establishes Miles' character, story background, and contrasts with the action-packed plot through the rest of the story. Embracing the flaws of a world is what makes it feel real, and makes the reader live in the world alongside the characters.

**Bright: The Apotheosis of Lazy Worldbuilding | Video Essay**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLOxQxMnEz8>
> 
> This is more of a "list of things NOT to do" video essay (and it's a long one). But, in dissecting all the things not to do, this essay is greatly informative of all the things _to_ do. Characters' arcs or pathos should be established early (and not undermined by the background). If you 'plant' something, there should be a payoff, and climaxes should be built up to over the course of the story. Worldbuilding and setting should not just be windowdressing slapped on top of the story, but woven into the plot.

**The Problem With DC Action Scenes**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p-lyt78cyA>
> 
> On the surface, a special-effects focused analysis may seem incongruous in a list of videos about _writing_. But while most of it is about cinematography, it did point out two things which are useful to writers. First, if you've got a team or group of people with unique capabilities (i.e. superpowers), you should utilize those powers creatively. Second, most action scenes have their brief stops and pauses in them, which are useful times to put small character moments. Both of these are important lessons for any writer with action scenes in their stories.

**On Worldbuilding: Fictional Histories [ Tolkien | Handmaid's Tale | Game of Thrones ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbnzAJXW0Sw>
> 
> A pretty detailed guideline on how to build the fictional history of your fictional universe. What I particularly appreciate was all the comparisons drawn to _real_ world history. In a sense, establishing fictional history does involving understanding just how incomplete, biased, and re-crafted _our_ history is here in the real world. In short, history is influenced by who is recording it, how, and why - and in turn, how these records are (or aren't) preserved over time, who does and does not read or use that history, and the context or lens through which that history is understood. Video is also summarized with a really helpful flowchart of the process [here](https://imgur.com/a/CQeNyq8).

**Minority Report — When the Story World Becomes The Villain**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbMPjas_rRU>
> 
> A great intro on how to deliver information and exposition without just 'dumping' it onto your audience, how to get your readers to "buy into" the world of your story, and how to weave your setting into the story itself. Great for anyone who feels the world of their story might be falling flat or feeling removed from the characters or story.

##  **Magic Systems**

tl;dr - Hard Magic is part of the plot, Soft Magic is part of the setting.

1.) Ability of magic system to resolve the conflict is directly proportional to how well the reader understands it.

2.) Limitations are more important than powers.

3.) Expand on what you already have before you write something new.

**On Writing: hard magic systems in fantasy [ Avatar l Fullmetal Alchemist l Mistborn ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJQb5bGu_g>
> 
> Author's ability to resolve conflict with magic is proportional to how well reader understands it. Hard magic is a defined tool, with internal consistency and predictability. Unpredictable outcomes are the result of misunderstanding of the user. It's defined by its limitations, weaknesses, and costs (and thus its narrative purpose is in how the reader overcomes them).

**On Writing: soft magic systems in fantasy [ Tolkien l Game of Thrones l Harry Potter ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVrnfniQiS8>
> 
> Biggest delineation between Hard and Soft is (un)predictability. Unpredictability can enrich a narrative, but cannot solve it without it being contrived. Soft magic can facilitate a (re)solution, but not be one on its own. Because there is no defined limitation, weakness, or cost, the reader cannot define why or how it is challenging - and thus there are no stakes to overcoming it. Soft magic is great for style and style diversity.

**On Writing: magic systems and storytelling [ Avatar TLA/LOK bending analysis ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fUKBrkDsOw>
> 
> Case study looking to Avatar on how to integrate magic into your story in a meaningful way (and also the Avatar world's pitfalls). Ask yourself "What happens when...?" - and explore the answer. How does magic change the world, and what unique challenges do your characters face that they wouldn't face in any other world or context?

**On Writing: Magic Systems and Handling Power Escalation [ Mistborn l Last Airbender l Naruto ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlwBjNkHC50>
> 
> It is so _very_ easy to fall victim to power creep - where narrative tension is lost either because the magical capabilities have escalated too far, or because the stakes of the story have risen so high that human readers cannot easily connect to what could be lost. This video is a good run down on how to have characters grow in magical strength or capability naturally, without it leading to overpowered or characters, or conflicts with more spectacle than story. It also covers how to maintain narrative tension without growing power, or without needing to make every antagonist a _bigger_ threat than the previous one.

**In Defense of Soft Magic Systems** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfSg2CFOWNU>
> 
> The title is focused on soft magic, as that tends to be harder for modern fantasy author to utilize, but in reality, hard and soft magic systems each have their own strengths. Soft magic systems are abstract magic systems, which are better suited for stories that are fundamentally about abstract ideas - emotional experiences, relationships, politics, etc. Conversely, hard magic systems are better suited for stories where the reader is engaging for plot tension. Soft magic systems are better suited for stories building towards a catharsis or resolution; hard magic systems are better suited for stories building towards a pay-off or climax.

##  **Exposition**

**On Writing: How to deliver exposition PART ONE [Avatar l Matrix l Game of Thrones l Harry Potter]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq5A5bppyUg>
> 
> The most common method of exposition is having an uninformed character acting as the stand in for reader. Presenting information in a shocking, humorous, or dramatic way gives the reader the information they need, but distracts them from it to focus on the scene itself. Framing exposition as a method of characterization creates context, and attaching exposition to it also helps add layers to the information being conveyed. Conflict allows you to use exposition build character and introduce story ideas/conflicts. Environmental exposition uses description to frame setting and worldbuilding. The emphasis of environmental exposition is on what readers infer from it, not what they're told directly. Creating obstacles between character and information turns exposition into pay-off.

**On Writing: Exposition - magic systems and worldbuilding [ Avatar l Rowling l Inception l Asimov ]** \- PART TWO

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvoofeICHRo>
> 
> What information needs to be communicated to your reader? The most critical exposition is "problem-solving information", aka information directly related to the building or resolution of tension in your plot. From the worldbuilding stand-point, your reader only needs to know enough to provide consistency in the world your reader experiences. For character context, you only want to include information that drive their character arc. The earlier to you share a character's backstory, the more relatable that character will be; meanwhile, the later you share that backstory, the more intriguing they will be. Regardless, try to trust your readers to infer information - sometimes, implication has more power than merely telling information.

**The Matrix — Exposition in Action**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSGZ-RNdTw>
> 
> This complex world required a lot of information to be shared to audiences of 1999, and managed to mitigate much of the exposition dumping that would otherwise be expected of such a world. Much of the early parts of the script leave the audience with questions, and looking forward to answers. Finally getting those answers becomes a pay-off in and of itself, yet they still leave room for new discoveries in the rest of the story.

##  **MCU as a Worldbuilding Case Study**

**How to Make a Shared Universe - Movies with Mikey**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJFoNcsbIaE>
> 
> How to use multiple, differing stories to create a rich and vibrant universe/world. Make sure to match the story and stakes to the scale of the immediate contex. No matter what that scale is, anchor the story to the characters. Every new story expands "outward"/starts with the established universe, but then builds on it. Your chararacters should develop, but that doesn't mean changing the core of who they are.

**MARVEL STUDIOS: Duality in Storytelling | Video Essay**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKXxiiEbiCA>
> 
> Expands upon the process of how to use multiple smaller stories or pieces of a story to build a rich and vibrant world. One story has different sides: from different experiences of the same event, to various consequences, to the characters' perspectives of each other. tl;dr - "Every installment shows part of the story, but none ever show the whole thing."

**How Marvel Studios Perfected the Cinematic Universe**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un7UA1tkTSo>
> 
> Every individual installment/story needs to stand on its own and tell a self-contained story. If you get too caught up in the future story/bigger story, you'll end up neglecting your current story, and you'll never end up getting to the bigger story anyway. You have to pour at least as much love into the individual stories as the big story - if not even more.

**The Epidemic Of Cinematic Universes** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgJZO0KqDYE>
> 
> A comparison of cinematic universes to show why Marvel's has been so successful, while most other attempts are floundering or have failed. Despite the title and its focus on series' of stories, it is very much about world building, and most of what it talks about can apply to a singular story or a smaller series (i.e. a trilogy). Worldbuilding is at its strongest when it's subtle, something teased and woven in over time, but rarely more than that. The problem with most other movie universes isn't that they _are_ movie universes...it's that they tried to shove in too much worldbuilding at once, to the detriment of the story itself.

* * *


	6. Starting Your Story

#  **_Starting Your Story_ **

**Black Mirror — Now Entering the Twilight Zone**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42jHc-_XsDo>
> 
> I honestly struggled to find the right section for this video. It could be intertextuality and adaptation, but it doesn't provide much detail or guidance beyond a very context-specific update on an old story. But it does offer insight into the unique way it set up the characters, as well as how it introduced the world, story, and stakes. While in reality, this "show" ended with the first episode (as it was really another show altogether), in theory this episode could also function as a standalone pilot of an interesting new TV show. The Black Mirror episode _USS Callister_ was unique in introducing its antagonist like a protagonist, so the audience understands the enemy before meeting the hero, and this miniature movie made efficient use of every line and moment within its script. 

**Breaking Bad — Crafting a TV Pilot**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbMgYMY9Ryw>
> 
> The challenge of starting any story is the balancing act of leaving audiences feeling satisfied, yet also wanting _more_ of your story. In order for them to want to come back, they have to have enjoyed what they'd already gotten. The pilot episode of Breaking Bad is a masterful example of a "first chapter" that succinctly tells a story in own right, and foreshadows what the rest of the show will be about - yet also leaves audiences excited, and eager to know what comes next. This pilot episode quickly and neatly introduces us to the protagonist's world, before hitting him with the inciting incident - and immediately begins his journey of internal change. Despite so much seeming to happen in just the first episode, it still had plenty of story for over _sixty_ more episodes. Clearly, authors can do a lot with our first chapters.

**How Ghostbusters Became Ghostbusters** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_G00jYm5n0>
> 
> A breakdown of the premise and designing principle of the 1980's classic Ghostbusters - what it was originally supposed to be, how it changed so much, and how these changes it made it into the classic we know it as even three and a half decades later. It is very much about the kind of work that does into writing _before_ you ever set a word to the page, ranging from story structure to character progression to worldbuilding.

**Alice Wu Breaks Down The Half Of It Opening Sequence | Netflix** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-HluiLrsvw>
> 
> The opening sequence of Netflix's _The Half of It_ efficiently established the character, her view of herself, her world's view of her, and her world. Any story needs to set the foundations of character and setting, but this also had a double-duty job in needing to hint at why this film would not be what audiences would normally expect of this genre. 

##  **Character Introduction**

**Civil War v Justice League: Dawn of Character Development (Video Essay)**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVEatk78mQQ>
> 
> Case study of two superhero movies' mechanism of introducing new, similar characters in similar contexts, and how those movies developed these characters. The question should not be on how these superheroes are superheroes, but why.

**Stranger Things: How to Introduce a Character**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldizPDmm9eI>
> 
> The usage of "character bounce" - minor conflict between the characters - to demonstrate core character traits, and give the viewer a "snapshot" of who that character is and their daily life. This creates the foundation upon which the plot builds.

**The Devil Wears Prada — The First 10 Pages**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WgzNFEu61o>
> 
> An analysis of how this movie efficiently introduces its characters, setting (context/stakes), and the dramatic question (aka plot). The protagonist is introduced through comparison, the antagonist (and their power) is introduced via the other characters' reactions, and the first scene is a microcosm of the whole movie. The protagonist's small victory standing up to the intimidating antagonist is a reflection of the larger victories she achieves throughout the film. This is an excellent opening for "Man vs Man" and "Man vs Society" stories.

**One Marvelous Scene - The Ultron Afterparty** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2VQinJxH6A>
> 
> From 3:40 to 9:20 is the part _most_ relevant to writers, though the whole video is good to think about when writing. In short, this seemingly 'pointless' scene that doesn't really directly serve the plot not only shows us a lot about the characters, but also shows us a lot about the movie as a whole. We see a microcosm of the whole story - the movie's story and the series' story - in this 2-minute scene, and we see a small reflection of the characters' arcs and dynamics in this scene. While the previous and subsequent sections of video are cinematography-specific, they both emphasize that the characters' individuality, their flaws, and their relatability, are what brings audiences to the theaters.

##  **Starting Your Story**

**On Writing: the first chapter [ Logan l Avatar l Fault in our Stars l 1984 ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUJOtTAJHXk>
> 
> Mini 3-act structure allows writer to introduce character tackling a problem, making them seem proactive instead of passive. It also introduces the character(s) to the reader, as well as the genre and/or setting. Focusing on something else (or exaggerating a story element) sets up an expectation in the reader that, if left unfulfilled, will leave them unsatisfied. Sometimes a hook and an inciting incident are the same moment, other times they happen separately; while not all first chapters need the inciting incident, they _do_ all need a hook.

**On Writing: Prologues [ Game of Thrones l Harry Potter l John Green ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv9qcTbwAiw>
> 
> If you have a prologue, you have to be careful that the prologue's hook does not undermine the first chapter's hook. Is the prologue necessary? Prologues should only be used if it immediately adds to the main story, but relies on something that cannot be conveyed within the main story itself. Prologues need to have a hook of their own, and exposition limited to only vital information. Prologues can also convey a unique tone that will be important later on, but cannot be conveyed early on in the main story. Try to keep prologues short and to the point/focused only on what is absolutely necessary - because the rest should come in the main story.

**Logan vs. Children of Men — The End is in the Beginning**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgYoT_xEFY>
> 
> These movies' completely different style of beginning, is really only a slightly different take on how the beginning of a story connects to its end. Whereas in the previous video, the opening acts as a microcosm for the story's plot, in these movies, the first act is a microcosm for the story's themes. If a movie is the process of a character unlearning the lie they believe, both of these movies started with a character not just believing their lie, but living in "normal worlds" that reinforce the lies they believe about themselves. In contrast to The Devil Wears Prada, these protagonists fight against heroic behavior; they only start their journeys after the foundations of their lies are shattered, and their normal worlds are lost. In contrast to the previous video, this is an excellent opening for "Man vs Self" and "Man vs Environment" stories.

* * *


	7. Developing Antagonists

#  **_Developing Antagonists_ **

** On Writing: Villains [ Zuko l Joker l Watchmen l Vikings l Game of Thrones l Javert ]

**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16eJZmW_cGE>
> 
> A broad overview of writing villains, showing us how to communicate the villain's motives and connecting it to the hero's, the sliding scale of passive vs active motives, the pros and cons of 'good-guy'/righteous villains, and how to maintain tension in stories where the fate of the world is at stake.

**The Two Types of Disney Villains**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtRArdcYWQ8>
> 
> Analysis of the two main types of Disney villains - Outcast vs Tyrant - and how they reflect the heroes' arcs in their movies. The Outcast Villain exists on the fringes of an ethical world, they seek power by corrupting that world, and the heroes' arcs usually surround them needing to embrace their responsibilities. The Tyrant Villain exists at the top of an unethical world, symbolizing systemic corruption, and the hero's story surrounds embracing their individuality to rebel against the tyrannical villain with their authentic selves.

##  **How Your Antagonist Relates to Your Protagonist**

**Why Black Panther Has Marvel’s Best Villain Ever**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqkThUecFxQ>
> 
> How the villain and the hero fundamentally want the same thing. But their different starting points (pain vs empathy) and their methods of pursuing that goal is what makes one a villain and the other a hero. It also covers how to have a villain be a mirror to the hero without it just being lazy character or power development.

**On Writing: hero-villain relationships [ Batman Joker l Sherlock Moriarty l Doctor Master ]**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkyANruLXZI>
> 
> A purely structural hero-villain relationship is one where they pursue the same goal and want to stop the other from achieving theirs, and culminates with a necessary opponent moment. Contrasting the hero and villain ideologically helps create a villain that can challenge the hero on a personal level as well as a plot one, culminating with a double-reversal where both hero and villain have a fundamental realization by the story's end. Conversely, making the hero and the villain similar makes their differences stand out, though the symmetry in their skills and abilities also affects the plot at a practical level.

**The Dark Knight — Creating the Ultimate Antagonist**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFUKeD3FJm8>
> 
> Guide on creating a great antagonist for your protagonist. tl;dr - A great villain is good at attacking the protagonist's greatest weakness, forcing them into character-revealing decisions, and competing with them for the same goal. This is the ideal antagonist for stories where your protagonist _proves_ their fundamental belief system.

**Black Panther — Creating an Empathetic Villain**

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rML_5rkQ2bM>
> 
> A partner video of sorts to the previous video. _The Dark Knight_ 's Joker and _Black Panther_ 's Erik Killmonger are both villains designed to uniquely challenge the protagonist. The difference is that where the Joker is built on mystique, Erik Killmonger is built on empathy. The audiences gets to know him as well as the hero, and he ends up embodying the flaws of the hero's belief system at the beginning of the story. This is the ideal antagonist for stories where your protagonist _changes_ their fundamental belief system, and grows as a person in doing so.

**Bridesmaids: Why Helen Has No Friends** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDqZ_0ncxMk>
> 
> Most of this video is a psychological and sociological analysis of Bridesmaids, feminine bonding, and friend. But the first five minutes are a great analysis of the state of the protagonist - and thus, how the antagonist is perfectly designed to contrast, mirror, and challenge the protagonist.

**One Marvelous Scene - Tony Stark Fights Thanos** _(NEW!)_

> > <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22YaFDLGuTs>
> 
> This video does a breakdown of how this one fight scene reflects the fundamental conflict in both the specific film, and in the movie universe as a whole - both practically, and symbolically. It unpacks how the individual villain and hero in this fight also represent far greater antagonistic and protagonistic forces and ideals than themselves - namely about fatherhood or parenthood, and one's relationship with the universe at large.

* * *


End file.
